While addressing the US Senate, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said that Egypt would face sanctions if it buys superior Russian Su-35 jets.
Pompeo told the US Senate Committee that Washington has made clear that if Russian systems were to be purchased that, they would require sanctions on the Cairo regime.
Ahead of Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi’s upcoming visit to Washington, DC, a senior Trump administration official said the United States encourages Egypt to turn toward the West and away from Russia.
In terms of the expanding Russian influence in the region, that’s obviously something which the Pentagon is quite concerned about. Washington does not see a lot of material benefits to engagements with the Russians.
Former CIA-boss, Pompeo also would encourage the Egyptians to turn more toward the West, toward the United States.
The US official urged Egypt and other countries that wish to maintain a military relationship with the USA to refrain from buying Russian weapons as they risk being sanctioned under the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act.
Russia and Egypt reportedly signed a $2 billion dollar contract for the purchase of more than 20 Russian Su-35 multi-role air-defense fighters and air-launched weapons.
The agreement to purchase more than 20 aircraft and weapons for them worth some $2 billion came into force at the end of 2018, and the deliveries may begin in 2020 or 2021.
Sputnik / ABC Flash Point Military News 2019.
